Tag Archives: Bat out of Hell

BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL

★★★★

UK Tour

BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL

Peacock Theatre

★★★★

“a non-stop blockbuster of a musical”

Jim Steinman’s epic rock and roll masterpiece returns to London as part of its UK tour.

Whispers of Meat Loaf’s original song greet the incoming audience, like hearing a ghost from the past. There are no doubts when the band starts to play in earnest, the bass vibrating through one’s very soul and the audience – many dressed in tour T-shirts – whoops in expectation.

The unassuming but excellent eight-piece band (MD Iestyn Griffiths) are rescued from the invisibility of a pit and displayed high above the stage action. The black stage (set and costume design Jon Bausor) is dominated by a large central sewer pipe leading into who-knows-where and opening out onto the relatively small playing space. A small back room serves as Raven’s bedroom, her bed curiously made from flight cases; a nod to the rock and roll origin of the production, perhaps. Scenes from this room are screened above the stage filmed live by an on-stage video cam-operator (video design Finn Ross).

Strands of Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet, even West Side Story abound in the wafer-thin plot, though Jay Scheib’s direction shines. A rag-taggle group of boys and girls (The Lost) live in the sewer tunnels below a dystopian, post-apocalyptic Gotham-esque city controlled by a despot ruler who sends in his riot squad for summary beatings of the youth. He fears for the safety of his daughter Raven (Kate Tonkinson), who on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, declares her love for Strat (Glenn Adamson), the unofficial leader of the pack. Falco declares she shall never have him and so the scene of rebellious teenager versus parent who doesn’t understand is set.

Steinman’s songs are, of course, legendary and their narrative content ripe for stage performance and all our favourites are here. Paradise by the Dashboard Light – an anthem for failed marriage – is performed almost straight as from the LP. Falco (Rob Fowler) and Sloane (Sharon Sexton) make out in an open top Chevy (in flashback), awkwardly fumbling their clothing until Sloane commands Falco to ‘stop right there’. Including a girl in referee’s uniform going through the baseball commentary as Falco thinks he’s going to make it to last base, black and white baseball footage is screened above the action to reinforce the imagery. Including too a line-up of twitchy and giggling dancers, there’s so much going on in this scene that it’s hard to know where to focus. But Fowler and Sexton’s voices win-out; together the couple are superb.

The full youth ensemble in their grungy hip-hop attire (shades of Mad Max) give their all and their energy levels are phenomenal. But the choreography (Xena Gusthart) verges on the twee. There is little sense of rock and roll danger and hip thrusts are comedic rather than sexually threatening. For Crying Out Loud is the standout song as the ensemble share the solo lines, and pairings are made amongst the gang, some individual characterisation becoming evident. Bat Out of Hell closes the first act and as Strat’s ‘silver black phantom bike’ breaks up, confetti cannons fire pieces of the broken metal into the air and pyros shoot out tongues of flame. It’s wild, dramatic, over the top, and totally thrilling.

In the second act there’s time for some deceit and treachery, instigated for the best possible reasons, by Tink (the excellent Carla Bertran) but it’s a foregone conclusion that young love will out. I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) is inexplicably the show’s closing number, and the only ensemble piece that feels to go on too long.

Of course, the strength of the singers is the be all for a production of this type and Glenn Adamson and especially Katie Tonkinson do not disappoint. They are both excellent throughout and well supported by the full ensemble. This is a non-stop blockbuster of a musical, sung powerfully and tunefully throughout, and danced with total commitment. An absolute blast.



BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL

Peacock Theatre then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 22nd May 2025

by Phillip Money

Photography by Chris Davis Studio

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Last ten shows reviewed at Sadler’s Wells venues:

SPECKY CLARK | ★★★ | May 2025
SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE | ★★★★★ | April 2025
SKATEPARK | ★★★★ | April 2025
MIDNIGHT DANCER | ★★★★ | March 2025
THE DREAM | ★★★★★ | March 2025
DEEPSTARIA | ★★★★ | February 2025
VOLLMOND | ★★★★★ | February 2025
DIMANCHE | ★★★★ | January 2025
SONGS OF THE WAYFARER | ★★★★ | December 2024
NOBODADDY (TRÍD AN BPOLL GAN BUN) | ★★★★ | November 2024

 

BAT OUT OF HELL

BAT OUT OF HELL

BAT OUT OF HELL

Bat Out of Hell

London Coliseum

Reviewed Media Night – 21st June 2017

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

“the strong musical performances saved this damned production”

 

I will confess, I am new to the works of Jim Steinman and haven’t watched many West End musicals, mainly because when I was younger I felt musicals were lazy in storytelling. Since then I have been blown away by some fantastic musicals, but Bat Out of Hell brought back all those previous prejudices I held. This was a thoroughly disappointing production in a storytelling perspective. The story – very cliché; another young white boy (Strat) falls in love with another white girl (Raven) and both feel as though they can’t live without the other.

Set in an apocalyptic world in the year 2100 where diversity no longer exists (i.e if you were anything but white or mixed race sorry to say you didn’t make it in this apocalypse). The rich live in high towers and the anarchist youth have the Peter Pan syndrome as they are mysteriously genetically frozen to be 18 forever – because being 18 forever means you will never mature. Bat Out of Hell at times felt like Romeo and Juliet particularly in the scenes when Strat gazes up at Raven hidden upon her tower or Twilight when their love is in jeopardy for she will grow old and he will be young forever.

The dialogue was jarring, which of course didn’t give the actors much to work with, leaving the casts’ acting much to be desired, particularly the scenes with Strat and his crew, – leaving me often cringed at this caricatural acting. Many sins were committed on that stage (and I’m not even talking about the awkward projected sexy scene with Strat and Raven).

The set design aspect of this production really did it for me. Jon Bausor’s design transported the audience into the world of this production. I found myself discovering new aspects of the staging throughout the piece. One thing I also really liked was the concept of the projection of scenes as they were happening on stage. Although, this did lack structure and at times it really felt out of place and in those moments I struggled to understand the reason as to why the director had decided to have certain scenes project and others not. It did create some distancing from the acting, but I am always one for having a bit of Brechtian alienation (if there is a point to it).

Whilst the book and acting left much to be desired; the strong musical performances saved this damned production. Andrew Polec as the lead Strat delivered one of the best performances, filled with energy and passion. Vocally Polec really brought the house down and engaged us in his world.

Christina Bennington, on the other hand, as the spoilt and irritating Raven may have somewhat delivered musically but her overall performance was unforgiveable. Awkward to watch, lacked stage presence and honestly, as a storyline point I could not see why Strat was falling in love with this girl. Perhaps, it was solely her ‘purity’ he was wanting after all.

For me, I would have much rather have Danielle Steers (who played Zahara) in the role of Raven. Danielle’s characterisation of Zaraha, her presence and enchanting performance of Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad and Dead Ringer for Love left me wanting to see more of this actress. Also, not only would Danielle have brought more talent and a fantastic performance for Raven, she too would have brought a different dimension to this character and storyline; an interracial couple, a relationship we often don’t see depicted on stage.

Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton as Falco and Sloane were rightly a dynamic duo. Even as disillusioned lovers, they still had a chemistry that was envying to watch. Particularly in their smash performance of Paradise by the Dashboard Light, their vocal range and performance were just incredible.

Sharon Sexton delivered a hilarious show stealing performance and was in my eyes one of the strongest actresses in this piece.

Whilst maybe cliché the audience on the opening night revelled in this production as they loudly cheered and gave standing ovations to the actors, which I don’t blame them for; the phenomenal house band and performances are what made this show entertaining. I just wish somebody else had written the book because most elements were there.

I guess Heaven Can Wait because I don’t see this production ascending to the top.

 

Reviewed by Daniel Correia

Production Photography by Specular

 

 

Bat out of Hell

is at the London Coliseum until 22nd August

 

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